THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

node, wherein some areas show small blood and lymphatic
vessels coursing in between the capsular fibers. A prominent
lymphatic vessel, most probably an afferent vessel, was
observed in the capsule in one of the specimens studied.
Well-defined blood and lymph sinusoids were noted
immediately below the capsule. Some of these sinusoids
were seen to continue into the deeper parenchymal regions.
Several trabeculae were seen arising from the capsule,
which penetrated the parenchyma of various points, some
of which contained blood vessels. Examination of serially
sectioned nodes did not show any hilus like that of a
typical lymph node. In this connection, no efferent lymphatic
vessels was identified. The parenchymal organization show
no cortical or medullary regions typically seen in a lymph
node and instead show an admixture of red and white pulp
similar to that seen in the parenchyma of the spleen. The
white pulp presents two types of cellular lymphoid
aggregation; one type is corpuscular in arrangement
whereas the other type is diffused. The areas in between
the white pulp is occupied by the red pulp, which is made
up of blood sinusoids filled with blood cell elements. There
are lymph sinusoids and sinuses occasionally observed
among the blood sinusoids of the red pulp. The observation
of numerous mitotic figures in the white pulp, particularly in
corpuscular types, indicates that this organ is actively
involved in lymphopoiesis. Other cellular elements
observed in the white pulp are the lymphoblast, large and
medium size lymphocytes and plasma cells. These
observations strongly suggest that the hemolymph nodes
are contributors to immunologically competent cells and
also to those of the blood cell elements, particularly to the
lymphocytic and monocytic varieties. The cytoarchitectural
organization seen in the hemolymph node of the Philippine
carabao presents an arrangement which is unique for this
animal, and which is not noted in other domestic ruminants.
This feature places this organ in a position in the structural
series among lymphoid organs which is intermediate
between a lymph node and the spleen.
Keywords: cytobiologic characterization, hemolymph
node, Philippine carabao, Bubalus bubalis, anatomicohistologic
correlative study
*The Philippine Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 14(1): 15-
38, 1975.
A-80
ON THE MEASUREMENTS OF THE SPLEEN OF THE
PHILIPPINE CARABAO (Bos bubalis)*
E. L. Enriquez-Yap, Instructor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University
of the Philippines Los Baños
A. H. Almazan, Jr., Student
32
ABSTRACT OF RESEARCHES ON
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
Spleens from 60 (30 males and 30 females) freshly
slaughtered Philippine carabaos with ages ranging from 15
to 25 years were studied as to: a) external features; b)
weight; and c) dimensions (length, width and thickness).
The fresh spleens studied showed a bluish-red to purple
color and were soft and yielding in consistency. They
presented a convex parietal surface and a concave visceral
surface bearing the imprints of the rumen. The straight
borders (dorsal and ventral), both thin and flat, were seen
converging towards each other at the two opposite rounded
extremities of the organ. They were lighter, shorter, narrower
but almost equal in thickness when compared with equine
and bovine spleens. The spleens studied had the following
mean measurements: male carabao –weight 970 ±
46.52gm.; length, 45.00 ± 6.32cm.; width, 14.5 1 + 0.28cm.;
and thickness, 2.20 ± 0. 1 4cm.; female carabao – weight,
966.67 ± 44.80gm.; length, 44.60 ± 0.18cm.; width, 1 4.08
± 0.36cm.; and thickness, 2.13 + 0.10cm. Statistical
analysis of the measurements obtained showed no
significant differences in all aspects studied (at 95%
confidence coefficient level) between the male and female
spleens. Based on this finding, it appears that sex does not
influence the weight, length, width and thickness of the
spleen of Philippine carabaos.
Keywords: spleen, Philippine carabao
*The Philippine Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 12(1 & 2):
13-19, 1973. The scientific name of the water buffalo, and
that includes the carabao, is Bubalus bubalis.
A-81
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE ESOPHAGUS OF
THE PHILIPPINE CARABAO (Bos bubalis)*
E. L. Enriquez-Yap, Assistant Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of the Philippines Diliman
C. P. Maala, DVM, Instructor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of
the Philippines Los Baños
E. Mariano, DVM, Student
The histological part of the study used specimens collected
from 60 freshly slaughtered apparently healthy carabaos
from Caloocan City Abattoir. Three carabaos of both sexes
were used for the verification of the course and topography
of the esophagus in situ. The esophagus presents two
recognizable parts: the cervical and the thoracic parts. The
esophagus of the carabao measures 24.12-28.31 in long.
The cervical and thoracic pair measures 1.06-2.00 and
1.50-2.31 in wide, respectively. Histologically, the wall of
the esophagus is composed of tunica mucosa, submucosa,
muscularis and adventitia. The tunica muscularis is
subdivided into an inner circular muscle layer and outer
longitudinal muscle layer. Esophageal glands are